Poetry Coalition Fellow

Organization: New Jersey Performing Arts Center (NJPAC) Dodge Poetry in the Community. 
Location: Newark, NJ (Hybrid as applicable)
Term: Ten-Month Fellowship
Hours: 20 hours per week September 2, 2026 to June 30, 2027
Compensation: total stipend $20,000 ($21-$22/hour equivalent) plus $1,100 paid towards healthcare

The Poetry Coalition is a national alliance of nearly thirty organizations dedicated to working together to promote the value poets bring to our culture and the important contribution poetry makes in the lives of people of all ages and backgrounds.

Position Summary

The Poetry Coalition Fellow supports NJPAC’s Dodge Poetry in the Community, literary arts, community engagement, and cultural programming initiatives. Working closely with NJPAC staff and Poetry Coalition partners, the Fellow will gain hands-on experience in arts administration, programming, communications, and audience engagement while contributing to projects that advance poetry and literary arts programming throughout the community.

Essential Responsibilities

The Fellow will:

• Commit to approximately 20 hours per week for the full ten-month fellowship period.
• Adhere to NJPAC policies, procedures, and workplace expectations.
• Assist with community outreach and audience engagement initiatives.
• Support marketing and promotional activities, including the development of digital and print materials.
• Assist with grant research, grant writing, fundraising initiatives, and donor stewardship activities.
• Create content for websites, newsletters, and social media platforms.
• Support the planning, coordination, and execution of literary arts programs, poetry readings, workshops, residencies, retreats, and related events.
• Provide administrative support, including scheduling, data entry, meeting coordination, and recordkeeping.
• Attend staff meetings, professional development sessions, and collaborative meetings with Poetry Coalition fellows and partners.
• Participate in fellowship evaluations and reporting activities throughout and at the conclusion of the fellowship.

Qualifications

Required Qualifications

• Demonstrated interest in poetry, literary arts, arts education, community engagement, or related fields.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills.
• Organizational skills and attention to detail.
• Ability to work independently and collaboratively in a team environment.
• Proficiency with common office software and digital communication tools.

Preferred Qualifications

• Familiarity with contemporary poetry and literary arts programming.
• Experience with community outreach, event planning, marketing, communications, fundraising, grant writing, social media, or arts administration.
• Experience creating digital content for websites or social media platforms.
• Current enrollment in or recent completion of an undergraduate, graduate, or MFA program is welcomed but not required.

Physical Requirements

• Ability to work at a computer for extended periods.
• Ability to attend in-person meetings and events as required.
• Ability to occasionally lift and move materials weighing up to 25 pounds.

No phone calls, please.

Equal Employment Opportunity Statement

New Jersey Performing Arts Center is an Equal Opportunity Employer. NJPAC is committed to fostering an inclusive workplace and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, creed, sex, pregnancy, childbirth or related medical conditions, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, national origin, ancestry, age, disability, marital status, domestic partnership or civil union status, veteran status, genetic information, or any other characteristic protected by applicable federal, state, or local law.

NJPAC encourages applications from candidates whose backgrounds and experiences reflect the diversity of the communities we serve.